>>>If I could get past the phobia of the dropped valve seat that has been
>threatened many times here, I would certainly sleep better :-)<<

>

>Although I drove my 81 Air-cooled Westy more than 200,000 miles over 13
>years I was only stranded once. Yep, you guessed it.  It dropped a valve
>seat while I was on vacation in Moab, Utah.  It happens.  I don't know
>what I would have done without Tom Arnold at Tom-Tom's Volkswagen Museum
>(junk yard).

Oh gee, thanks for that little tidbit :-) Moab/Canyonlands is one of my
favorite destinations. Tell me more about Tom Arnold? Might come in handy.

>(I remember being told by Leonard at AVP that on his rebuilds he
>strengthens the valve seat.  I never had a problem after I installed the
>AVP engine.)

AVP is on my list, but cash is not available. I have read about heads that
have been  modified to eliminate the dropped valve seat (whatever elminate
means <shrug>) and would not go any other way.

A long time ago, I became convinced that I would need a new engine one
day, so I stopped being concerned about the longevity of this one and just
enjoyed it. I figured that if it gave up on me, I would just buy a rebuilt
engine and carry on. Not that expensive overall. Where I got to being
concerned was to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, or very far from and
VW qualified help. That made me get the AAA+ RV for the extended mileage,
and I avoid extended travel when the temps get way up there (I hate the
heat anyway, so its a good excuse <g>)

The dropped valve seat bothers me in that I don't know if it would hang me
out to dry, or if I could limp it back to a place to get some help. I
guess it depends on how bad it is, but in my mind, its one of the more
likely scenarios that would stop me dead where I was, which doesn't sit
well with me.....

Anyway, interesting story. I hope its not repeated <g>

Thanks,

John